Become A Food Pantry Volunteer Today. Change Lives Tomorrow.

We recommend if you are coming with family, friends or a social group (29 people or less) that you sign up as a Team. Teams are best when you know the names and e-mail addresses of all individuals attending in your team. We recommend the Team option if you plan on returning with the same team in the future.

For all other groups (29 people or less), we recommend that you register your group and add “guests”. This option allows you to register multiple people at one time and then share the link with your guests so that each person can complete their profile and registration.

• The “add guest” option is helpful if you are reserving space for your volunteer group but might not know all members attending.

If you’d like to inquire about bringing a group of 30 or more, please contact us.

Chicago volunteer opportunities are available Tuesday through Saturday. Morning and afternoon sessions are held throughout the week. Availability varies based on the number of people in your volunteer group. Be sure to book ahead to get a spot for your group. Please refer to our volunteer calendar to find opportunities at the food bank in the community. All available sessions will be posted up to two months in advance.

Youth volunteers between the ages of 11-15 are welcome to volunteer at the Food Depository during regular sessions. For every 6 to 8 youth in attendance, one adult (over the age of 18) must accompany them. Food bank volunteers over the age of 16 can volunteer independently.

Each month, we host a Kids Day Repack. During school breaks, we also host Family Day Repacks. These Kids Day and Family Day Repacks are our Repack sessions designed for kids ages 5 to 10. We require a 1:2 adult to child ratio. Please refer to our food bank volunteer calendar for dates and availability.

All partner distribution volunteers must be ages eleven and older. Any volunteers between the ages of 11-15 must have an adult volunteer with them.

All volunteer drivers and driver helpers must be at least 21 years old.

Our special events accommodate a range of different age groups, depending on the event. Please refer to the volunteer opportunity on our calendar for information about age requirements.

We can accommodate different group sizes based on the day and group volunteer opportunity.

If you’d like to inquire about bringing a group of 30 or more, please send us a message.

Volunteers must wear:

• Pants that cover your ankles (no shorts)
• Shirts that cover your shoulders (no tank tops)
• Enclosed shoes (no sandals/clogs)

You will not be permitted to work in the warehouse if you are wearing sandals or shorts/short skirt. Depending on the project you are assigned to, you may be asked to remove jewelry (including piercings, but rings are acceptable).

All food bank volunteers must register in advance for a session. We are unable to accommodate walk-in volunteers.

Our sessions often fill up quickly, so we recommend that you schedule your sessions as early as possible. Our online calendar updates in real time when volunteers register. If a session is full, please join the waitlist and you will be notified if a spot opens up.

Our volunteer calendar is typically available two months in advance. Special events, like our Kids Day registration and other special opportunities, are available on the first business day of the month prior to the event date.

We recommend that you donate food to our partner food pantries. Find your nearest food pantry on our find food map.

You do not need to bring anything to volunteer.

No firearms or weapons are permitted on the Food Depository property.

A limited number of lockers are available for small bags, but larger items are not encouraged.

No firearms or weapons are permitted on the Food Depository property.

Volunteers will receive a brief orientation with information about the Food Depository, the work we do and descriptions of the session’s projects at the start of the session.

Training for our special events typically take place at the start of the event. Please plan on arriving and checking in at least 15 minutes prior to the start time so orientation can begin punctually.

All volunteer drivers will need to attend a training prior to volunteering. The trainings are located at 4100 W. Ann Lurie Place, Chicago, IL 60632.

Repack volunteers are not required to do heavy lifting, but should be prepared to stand for up to two and a half hours at a time with some light lifting and bending, depending on the project. A limited number of seated positions are also available.

Some volunteer positions, including produce delivery and loading vehicles, do require heavy lifting.

Our volunteers work mostly with produce and bulk dry goods such as beans and pasta. However, volunteers occasionally work with allergens like wheat and nuts. If you have an allergy, please let our staff know and they will work to minimize exposure to allergens.

The Food Depository is closed on Sunday. Please contact a partner food pantry in your area for possible Sunday opportunities.

Visit our contact page for driving and public transportation directions.

For repack sessions at our warehouse, free parking for volunteers is available on a first come, first serve basis. There are over 300 parking spots available for all volunteers, visitors and Food Depository staff. You can access the parking lot via the entrance on Ann Lurie. All groups on buses should still be dropped off at our parking lot entrance on Karlov Avenue.

For special events, please refer to the reminder email sent 1-2 days prior to the event for parking information.

Anyone volunteering to fulfill court-ordered community service must be approved by our Volunteer Engagement team prior to scheduling. Please fill out an application online. You will see the court ordered application listed as a community service opportunity on our volunteer calendar. Once you have answered all questions and completed “sign-up”, your application has been submitted. You will be notified in two to four business days of your approval status. If your application is approved, you will be free to schedule your service. Please do not schedule any service until you have been contacted.